For the MU suburban cars built by Pullman in 1929-1930, you might wish to contact the IRM's Pullman Library (pullmanlibrary@irm.org), also for Pullmans before conversion and in a few cases, rebuilding trailers by Pullman. We would have the specifications and drawing lists, also most of the construction drawings and possibly a few builders photographs and negatives for the MU units. The drawings have proved useful, for example, in rebuilding rusted end platforms, underbody and steps on the IRM Lackawannas. The spec should answer some of your questions. I show the lot number as 6336 for plan 7229, for electric numbers 2500 to 2640 in 1929.There is also contact information on the IRM's site. Bob Webber at the IRM Pullman Library could help with questions. Ted Anderson, Pullman Library curator

Try the "Preserved Electric Railway Cars of North America" website. Most, if not all the existing ex-Lackawanna electrics are listed here. We even have one of the trailers at Orange Empire (although it's lettered for Southern Pacific).

_________________Bob Davis
Southern California

artschwartz

Post subject: Re: Erie Lackawanna MU Car Info

Posted: Sat Mar 23, 2013 2:49 am

Joined: Sun Aug 22, 2004 10:58 amPosts: 372Location: Reston, VA

Take any as-built weight with considerable skepticism, particularly for the 2500-2640 motor cars. I suspect that most, if not all, have had the motors, control switchgear & resistors removed. Don't know of many places where a 3000vdc car would be of much use.

Orsonroy

Post subject: Re: Erie Lackawanna MU Car Info

Posted: Sat Mar 23, 2013 8:13 pm

Joined: Tue Jul 11, 2006 10:57 amPosts: 48Location: Elgin, IL

The DL&W's 1941 passenger car & electric diagram book is heading your way offlist Kelly. It will at least give you a starting point with gross weights and core dimensions.

_________________Ray Breyer

robertmacdowell

Post subject: Re: Erie Lackawanna MU Car Info

Posted: Sun Mar 24, 2013 6:14 pm

Joined: Thu Nov 22, 2007 5:46 amPosts: 2465Location: S.F. Bay Area

artschwartz wrote:

Take any as-built weight with considerable skepticism, particularly for the 2500-2640 motor cars. I suspect that most, if not all, have had the motors, control switchgear & resistors removed. Don't know of many places where a 3000vdc car would be of much use.

Certainly many, yes. Not necessarily all. I've talked to several EMU operators who take pride in the intactness of their cars. But rather than guess, I would simply look at the car and see whether the equipment is present or missing. The bulk of the weight is in the motors proper.

As far as who can use one, anyone with an electric operation and a mechanical officer who is reasonably competent. Reconfiguring a car for a lower voltage is not rocket science. Besides, you aren't going 75 mph, so you don't need full voltage all motors in. Motors "generally" balance at a lower speed in proportion to a lower voltage.

WRM runs its 1200/1500V cars on 600V all the time. In fact, for the cars which are switchable between 600 and 1500, they are generally configured in 1500 mode, with certain auxiliary systems shunted to work in 600 mode. This means the balance speed is ~30 mph instead of ~75, and operators are free to use all points in the normal way.

Now, switching motors that were permanently wired in series to a parallel configuration can be a bit tricky. Notably, there aren't enough slots in the reverser. A 4-motor car which switches from S to SP only needs 2 reverser positions for 4 motors. One which switches SP to P needs 4 reverser slots for 4 motors (1 per motor). One option is to rewire it to be functionally a 2-motor car.

Last edited by robertmacdowell on Mon Mar 25, 2013 2:32 am, edited 1 time in total.

filmteknik

Post subject: Re: Erie Lackawanna MU Car Info

Posted: Sun Mar 24, 2013 11:36 pm

Joined: Sun Oct 19, 2008 12:58 pmPosts: 1210Location: Chicago USA

Did they actually have 3000V motors, or did they use 1500V motors set up with pairs of them in series? The original 1926 IC MU's had 750V motors (insulated for 1500V) permanently in series. Westinghouse and GE both offered 1500V motors but IC stayed conservative. I presume the 1970's Highliners do have 1500V motors. Did any MILW equipment have 3000V motors? I've only found references to 1500V motors insulated for 3000V to ground.

One thing about the IC cars is that the MG and compressors also used motors that were split into 1500V halves. I would have expected IRM to have to substitute trolley equipment to run theirs on 600V but they only had to rewire the double motors into parallel.

The General Electric Sacramento Northern freight locomotives at Western Railway Museum have very complex 600-1200 volt changeover switches. They literally rewire the locomotive from 600 volt to 1200 volt configuration. I have never counted but they probably have 20 poles on them. Traction motors are 600 volt motors.

Sacramento Northern did not modify equipment when it changed from 1200 volts to 1500 volt operation. 1500 volts was within design specifications of 1200 volt equipment. Cars just ran a little faster.

Passenger car changeover was much simpler. They were equipped with two dynamotor air compressors with both 600 and 1200 volt inputs. Things that required 600 volts such as car lights and control equipment always took power off the 600 volt outputs of the dynamotors.

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